BLOOD ON ATHENS STREETS

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30810, 23 July 1965, Page 11

BLOOD ON ATHENS STREETS

(N.Z.PA -Reuter —Copyright/ ATHENS, July 22.

Police stood guard on public buildings in Athens today after riots last night brought the first fatality in a week of demonstrations for the ousted Premier, Mr George Papandreou.

Riot police brought out tear gas, armoured cars and fire horses to try to quell some 3000 banner-waving students, massed outside Athens University, roaring support for the Left-wing Liberal leader who fell in a clash with young King Constantine over Right-wing influence in the Army. One student, named unofficially as Sotirios Petroulas. aged 25, died in the demonstrations. At least 70 others were injured and about 100 were temporarily detained by police. Mr Papandreou early today charged that the new regime of Mr Athanassiades-Novas was “a government of blood” and must “be eliminated and give account for its misdeeds.” Police under a hail of stones made repeated baton charges and tore down three rough barricades erected by the students. Two police vehicles were

destroyed and several shop windows and a newspaper stand were smashed in two hours of violence. Streets were left smeared with blood and scattered with shoes. In Salonica, Greece’s second city, crowds estimated at 20,000 strong, burned an

effigy of Mr Novas and shouted “out with Novas—down with the traitors." Mr Novas appealed on radio for an end to mob violence, and said he was confident the political dilemma would be solved not in the streets but by compromise. He and Mr Papandreou are both members of the ruling union of the Centre Party. Mr loannis Toumbas, Minister of Public Order, declared in a statement today that the Government was “determined to keep order with all means at its disposal.”

Asked by reporters if the Government intended to impose martial law, he replied “not at this stage—but all means at our disposal will be used.” Observers saw no immediate sign of any settlement in the crisis and said there may be further demonstrations when the dead student’s funeral takes place. Mr Novas said today that according to first police reports, the youth appeared to have been suffocated. An investigation had been ordered, he said.